20: "Love at First Sight: T-Swift in the D"

One of the defining storylines of my last four years is how I've somehow managed to go from a football, basketball, and baseball player who listened to Lynyrd Skynyrd and AC/DC and wore baggy Michigan sweats every day, to a writer, director, and actor who listens to Taylor Swift and Kelly Clarkson and still wears Michigan sweats every day but occasionally puts on jeans and a nice button up shirt.

I still believe I haven't changed that much, but have merely embraced the ability to try new things and not be afraid to have new tastes. I've also had to answer a few rare questions about my sexuality, but it's certainly nothing I'm afraid of. I think a guy who drives a Mustang and schedules his weekends around football can still listen to so-called "girly" music. Which is why I am proud to admit that my 20th-best college memory is the time I saw Taylor Swift at Ford Field.

Perhaps the fact that the concert was at the home stadium of my favorite football team helped compromise my then-fading masculinity, but the fact of the matter is, I fell in love with Taylor Swift that night.  For real.  Like so many people, I think I had these preconceived, premature opinions about her.  I assumed her music was too poppy for my tastes, and based on one poor awards show performance, I thought she couldn't sing live.

Almost instantly, all those opinions were flipped.  She put on an amazing show, and almost every song I loved.  I've since become a T-Swift junkie (I'm not ashamed to admit I listen to "22" on a loop from time to time).  She was a much better live singer than I had thought, and her personality, even from afar, seemed so genuine.  I remember she came out to start the show and just took a few moments to take it all in, and then addressed the crowd and said how it was the first stadium she'd played on the "Speak Now" tour and that she was blown away by the magnitude of the event, which I believed.

I often summarize the concert by saying that - short of seeing Paul McCartney play "Hey Jude" live - I can't imagine a cooler musical experience than watching 45,000 pre-teen girls sing the chorus of "Fifteen" in unison with Taylor Swift (and I saw Lynyrd Skynyrd play "Free Bird" live).

I owe this experience, of course, to Al Fredline, Katie Grand, Sarah Zyzanski, and Al's little sister Caroline, who for some reason allowed me to come along.  I think Allison had gotten tickets (in really good seats, too).  Someone backed out, or everyone else was busy; I can't for the life of me figure out how I lucked into it but I'm sure glad I did!  And Foxtown was HOPPING that night; Taylor Swift was at Ford Field and Justin Verlander was starting for the Tigers next door.

I have pics, too!  On my Facebook, or right here.